Left for dead in September after trading away (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000246821/article/trent-richardson-traded-to-colts-from-browns-for-pick) running back Trent Richardson (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/trentrichardson/2533032/profile), Cleveland fought nobly for its life deep into November -- but that fight is over.

Our gang of Around The League (http://www.nfl.com/news/around-the-league) scribes has no choice but to "stick a fork" (http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000285860/article/facing-the-fork-playoff-hopefuls-on-the-brink) in Rob Chudzinski (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/robchudzinski/2511478/profile)'s bunch after Sunday's 27-11 loss (http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2013112401/2013/REG12/steelers@browns#menu=drivechart&tab=track) to the Steelers (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT). A victory at home would have kept Cleveland (4-7) alive for the AFC's sixth playoff seed, but, instead, it's Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/benroethlisberger/2506109/profile) and frisky Pittsburgh (5-6) inching closer to January football.

Here's what else we learned Sunday:

1. Coming off back-to-back 100-yard receiving games, Steelers (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT) wideout Antonio Brown (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/antoniobrown/2508061/profile) found himself pitted Sunday against ascendant Cleveland cornerback Joe Haden (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/joehaden/496733/profile). After shutting down A.J. Green (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/a.j.green/2495450/profile) last week, Haden held Brown in check until just before halftime, when Big Ben (http://www.nfl.com/player/benroethlisberger/2506109/profile) found the pass-catcher on a 41-yard scoring strike (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000286569/Antonio-Brown-41-yard-TD-reception) to give Pittsburgh a 10-3 lead. Haden has produced a Pro Bowl (http://www.nfl.com/probowl)-level season, but Brown -- who came into the game leading the NFL in receptions -- won the battle Sunday, finishing with six catches for 92 yards and the score.

2. Cleveland quarterback Jason Campbell (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/jasoncampbell/2506364/profile) generated just three points over two-plus quarters before Steelers (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/profile?team=PIT) cornerback William Gay (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/williamgay/2507220/profile) knocked him out (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000286679/Jason-Campbell-s-fumble-recovered-by-Will-Allen) of the game with a shot to the head that arguably should have been flagged (https://twitter.com/WhitlockJason/status/404706100101926912). In came the unkillable Brandon Weeden (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/player/brandonweeden/2532970/profile), who, like clockwork, coughed up an ugly fumble (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000286733/Polamalu-forces-2nd-fumble) before dialing up a soul-crushing pick six (http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000286757/Weeden-throws-pick-six). Don't expect to see either quarterback back in C-Town in 2014............

..............6. One more bitter pill for Browns (http://www.steelersuniverse.com/teams/clevelandbrowns/profile?team=CLE) fans to swallow: Bill Livingston of The Plain Dealer passed on a nugget this week about Butch Davis, the former Cleveland coach who drafted Gerard Warren over LaDainian Tomlinson and passed on selecting Roethlisberger back in 2004. Asked about the two-time Super Bowl (http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/47) winner coming out of Miami of Ohio, Butch told reporters: "Ah'm not that bi-ig on Bi-ig Ben." (http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2013/11/the_steelers_big_ben_--_respec.html) Ten years later, it stands out as one of this nightmare-drenched organization's biggest mistakes.

This is why Cleveland stinks....err I mean drinks. ( Ok, I edited that a bit... :lol:)